EAM Jaishankar reflects on Gulf region's importance for India, affirms hope for progress of 'I2U2' grouping

Manama [Bahrain], December 8 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, reflected on the importance of the Gulf region for India as well as for the wider world, and also affirmed hope that the 'I2U2' grouping will grow in the coming days.
He further said that India is a supporter of the Abraham Accords -- the agreements on Arab Israeli normalization signed in 2020.
Jaishankar was speaking at the 20th IISS Manama Dialogue panel on 'Whither Regional Strategic Cooperation' on Sunday, alongside Bahrainian Foreign Minister, Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Czech Republic National Security Advisor, Tomas Pojar.
'I2U2' is a strategic partnership group between four nations -- India, Israel, the US and the UAE. It was conceptualized during the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four countries in 2021.
The grouping is aimed to encourage joint investments in six mutually identified areas such as water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security. It intends to mobilize private sector capital and expertise to help modernize the infrastructure, low carbon development pathways for our industries, improve public health, and promote the development of critical emerging and green technologies, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
"For us, when we speak about the region, there is the importance of the region itself, the society, the culture, the history, the civilization, the people. The 60 million who live in the Gulf, the 500 million who live in the MENA region beyond. And most of all, I think this region has had in history a great ideational impact on the wider world. And I think even today, a lot of what happens here and around here, I think resonates around the world," he said.
"There is a second aspect, which is, in a sense, the economic one, the resources, especially, but not only energy, including, I should say when we look a little bit beyond the horizon, non-fossil energy as well. I mean, this is going to be a crucial region(for green hydrogen, for green ammonia. It's going to be part of green corridors," he added.
External Affairs Minister called the Gulf region crucial as it has always been a bridge between Europe and Asia. He further spoke about the region's importance in today's scenario.
"This region is crucial because, again, historically, it has always been a bridge between Europe and Asia. And I think the connectivity that this implies today has, new relevance and new importance. So, when we speak about regional strategic cooperation, I think our mind should go to those within the region, those around the region, and those beyond the region...is there a basis for forging a common interest here? Now, where India is concerned...we have a long history. I don't want to dilate on that. But let me give you...a contemporary sense of the importance of this region for us," Jaishankar said.
The Foreign Minister pointed out the high trade with the region, as well as the huge number of Indian diaspora living in the Gulf countries.
"It is a region, and here I'm now talking of the GCC nations only. I mean, if I add Iran and Iraq, the numbers would be higher. It is a region where we do about 170 to 180 billion dollars worth of trade every year, where there is an Indian diaspora today of about 10 million people and growing, which is, for us, not just a key energy partner, but a broader economic partner, a very crucial source of investment, and increasingly an important technology collaborator," Jaishankar said.
He added, "And it is, very, very important for energy, but also for fertilizers. We are the second biggest fertilizer importer in the world, very crucial for our agriculture. So I cannot overstate the importance of this region, of the Gulf, of the GCC in particular, to India, But let's go a little bit broader beyond that, to MENA, in fact, I would say to the Mediterranean, because that's, in a sense, the next region beyond us."
The EAM noted that almost half a million Indians live in the Mediterranean Sea, adding that the Indian companies are operating ports in the Mediterranean and are building ports.
"In the Mediterranean today, again, we have, with the countries of the Mediterranean, an annual trade of about 80-90 billion dollars. We have, by the way, almost half a million Indians who live in the Mediterranean countries, half a million citizens. And today, when we look at the Mediterranean, we have Indian companies who operate a port, who are building an airport, who, again, who have military production centers there, big trade partners. When we look, again, ahead at the green hydrogen economy, many of the crucial partnerships that we see are in the Mediterranean. So, you know, what I am trying to explain to you are the stakes that we have in the region," he said.
He further stressed how India and the Gulf region cooperate in a political and diplomatic way.
Speaking on how India and the region can cooperate strategically, Jaishankar said, "I think, first of all, obviously, you cooperate in a political, diplomatic way. And what we do in my business is essentially try to address the challenges of the day as collectively and as effectively as possible. And this today would extend from Gaza to Lebanon, now to Syria as well.But at the same time, we have to be realistic about competing interests in this region. So, diplomacy is often easier said than done. And one of the interesting evolution of the world today is s actually on different issues, sometimes even in the same region, you have a different combination of countries that are working together. And that, to me, is actually the characteristic of our era."
Jaishankar also called the absence of ties between Israel and Iran a "particular source of concern," while adding that some of India's diplomatic efforts have focused on that particular aspect.
"The second political, diplomatic cooperation that we can think of is really at a time when, you know, the world is polarized, if not downright violent, how do you prevent an escalation of tensions? How do you prevent conflict from spreading further? And in recent times, I think for all of us, the relationship, the absence of it between Israel and Iran has been a particular source of concern. So some of our diplomatic efforts has focused on that particular aspect," he said.
"There has been the situation in the Red Sea. You know, on a more positive note, the third aspect of political-diplomatic, I would say we're also looking at certain trend lines coming out of this region. We have been a supporter of the Abraham Accords. And some years ago, we started a grouping called I2U2, which involves India, Israel, the United States, and the UAE. It is still at a relatively early stage, and we certainly hope in the coming days it's a group that will grow," he added.